NBA Game Preview - Indiana at Brooklyn

Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:30 PM EDT

Three games in, Kyrie Irving is putting on a show with his dazzling array of offensive highlights for the Brooklyn Nets.

Defensively, the Nets are not creating many highlights and hope Irving can continue his stellar start while also improving on defense.

The Nets hope to combine both aspects Wednesday night when they host the Indiana Pacers, the only winless team in the Eastern Conference.

Irving is averaging 37.7 points in his first three games since joining forces with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn's stunning free agent coup. Irving scored 50 in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 23, hit the go-ahead 3-pointer against the New York Knicks on Friday, then scored 37 in Sunday's wild 134-133 overtime loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis that was decided on Jae Crowder's 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Despite Irving's performance, the Nets are 1-2. Brooklyn is allowing 123.3 points and opponents are shooting 45.9 percent against them and 43.6 percent on 3-pointers.

"It's everybody coming together and having the collective focus and intensity all those things," Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie said. "Sometimes it's the guards not getting well in the pick-and-roll. Sometimes it's the wings not top-locking a cutter. Sometimes it's the bigs not getting the rebound. It's anything. It's all of us. That's what defense is."

On Friday, the Nets needed Irving's clutch 3-pointer after blowing a 19-point lead. Two days later, the Nets held an eight-point lead with three minutes remaining and gave up a 10-2 run that forced overtime.

"We have things to work out with our defense," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We'll score points. We have talented offensive players. It's are we going to figure out the defensive end."

Indiana also is struggling defensively but was encouraged by some improvement during Monday's 96-94 loss at the Detroit Pistons.

The Pacers have started a season 0-3 for the first time since 2015-16, when they recovered to win 45 games and reached the playoffs. Indiana opened the season with a 119-110 home loss to the Pistons on Oct. 23 and a 110-99 loss to the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Saturday before seeing a comeback fall short during Monday's 96-94 loss in Detroit.

In the first two games, the Pacers allowed at least 50 percent shooting but on Monday, that number was better, especially in the fourth quarter. Indiana allowed Detroit to shoot 45.7 percent from the floor but held the Pistons to 8 of 19 from the floor in the final 12 minutes.

"Second half defensively, was good," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "Four quarters, we all got to be synced in defensively."

Besides defense, Indiana also is struggling offensively. It was held under 100 points for the second straight game and its average of 101 points per contest is near the bottom of the NBA.

On Monday, Domantas Sabonis scored 21 points and T.J. Warren added 19. Warren also gave the Pacers a four-point lead with 1:42 remaining but Indiana did not score again and missed its final four shots, including a 3-point attempt by Warren with 1.5 seconds left.

"We had opportunities to win that game," Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon said after recording a third consecutive double-double. "We took good shots, we missed them, and they made some tough shots. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way."

The Pacers are hoping to avoid their first 0-4 start since losing the first nine games in 1988-89, when they won 28 games in Reggie Miller's second season of his storied career.

Indiana is 9-1 in its last 10 games against Brooklyn.

--Field Level Media